Press Releases – Voces De La Fronterahttps://vdlf.org
Defending Immigrant & Low-Wage Worker RightsThu, 13 Dec 2018 18:51:00 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.12Join the Driver Licenses for All Coalitionhttps://vdlf.org/join-the-drivers-licenses-for-all-coalition/
https://vdlf.org/join-the-drivers-licenses-for-all-coalition/#respondMon, 03 Dec 2018 23:02:29 +0000http://vdlf.org/?p=6206The Driver Licenses for All campaign is supported by a coalition of local businesses, community based organizations, youth groups, unions, and churches that support the restoration of access to driver’s licenses for Wisconsin residents. We are urging Governor Evers and leadership in the Wisconsin state legislature to pass legislation restoring access to driver’s licenses for all regardless of immigration status, and ending the practice of suspending licenses solely due to inability to pay fines.

You can support our efforts by becoming an official member of our coalition!

]]>https://vdlf.org/join-the-drivers-licenses-for-all-coalition/feed/0On Election Day, 350+ High School Students Will Canvass to Get Out the Vote in Paul Ryan’s Districthttps://vdlf.org/on-election-day-350-high-school-students-will-canvass-to-get-out-the-vote-in-paul-ryans-district/
https://vdlf.org/on-election-day-350-high-school-students-will-canvass-to-get-out-the-vote-in-paul-ryans-district/#respondFri, 02 Nov 2018 21:44:37 +0000http://vdlf.org/?p=6176Friday, November 2nd, 2018 | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Who: Youth Empowered in the Struggle (YES), the youth arm of Voces de la Frontera. 350+ students, parents, teachers and community leaders from Racine and Milwaukee-area high schools.

What: Voces de la Frontera and YES’s 2018 Get Out the Vote (GOTV) Canvass. Following a training and rally, students will spend the day going door-to-door urging citizens to vote and support the fight for expanding health care, fully funding public education, and restoring acces to driver licenses and in-state tuition for Wisconsin immigrant families. Throughout the day, journalists are encouraged to join students to get a closer look at how GOTV impacts the community. The day starts with a 9am rally at Monument Square in Racine that press is encouraged to attend.

Visuals: Hundreds of students rallying and canvassing, colorful signs.

RACINE, WISCONSIN – On Election Day, over 350 students with YES and Voces de la Frontera will canvass voters in working class Racine neighborhoods to encourage citizens to vote and support efforts to expand healthcare, fully fund public education, and restore access to driver licenses and in-state college tuition for Wisconsin immigrant families.

“As a youth-led organization, we have the power to raise our voice on issues that affect our community,” said Yessica Rameriz, a senior at Horlick High School in Racine. “Although most of us are not allowed to vote because we are under 18, we will still educate people in our communities on how important it is to vote in these elections and how increasing the number of voter turnout will help us have better schools, roads, and healthcare.”

“YES is getting out the vote because these midterm elections will decide a lot,” said Luis Tapia, a senior at Horlick High School and YES leader. “These elections have the power to change our community and our lives. Several students are underage and are not able to vote, and they know this. That’s why they know, they have to get the adults to be their voices. Myself and a lot of the youth are in this struggle for our lives. We have already fought very hard for immigration reform and the Dream Act. And we will keep on going until our voices have been heard.”

“Tuesday’s canvass will make an important stament to our community,” added Tabria Snead, a senior at Horlick High School in Racine. “The decisions that voters make affect all of our futures.”

“Students are doing their part to ensure that their voices are heard in this election by getting their communities to vote,” said Al Levie, a Horlick High School social studies teacher and long-time YES teacher-advisor. “Community power and student power go hand in hand.”

YES is the youth arm of Voces de la Frontera, a 501c3 organization that fights for immigrant, worker, and student rights. Voces de la Frontera and YES do not support any political candidates or coordinate with their campaigns.

Madison, WI — On Friday and Saturday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested dozens of people in their homes and workplaces across Wisconsin, terrorizing immigrant communities from Wausau to Milwaukee. As of Saturday afternoon, organizers have confirmed that ICE arrested at least 9 people in the Madison area, and at least one person each in Wausau, Green Bay, and Milwaukee, with those numbers likely to rise. According to community members, heavily armed ICE agents falsely identified themselves as police in some instances.

Erick Gamboa Chay and his three children.

“Agents surrounded the house while the family was getting ready for the day,” said Giselle Vera, whose uncle Erick Gamboa Chay was detained by ICE on Friday in Milwaukee. Gamboa Chay and his wife have three children, ages 8, 4, and 1. “They banged on his door claiming to be police, but actually they were ICE. Now my uncle’s kids keep asking when their dad is going to come back. His youngest son has sickle cell anemia and requires constant care. His wife cannot work outside the home because she cares for him and the other two children. This is devastating to his kids and to our family.” Gamboa Chay appears to have come to ICE’s attention after being stopped for driving without a license. ICE is denying him bond.

“On Friday morning, my husband was driving to work with our son and four coworkers,” said Angela Betancourt, whose husband of 29 years Jesús Enciso was detained by ICE near Madison. “My son was driving because he has a license. Agents in two cars pulled them over, made everyone get out and asked for all their documents. They took away the five men including my husband. I don’t know why ICE would detain him. He is a hard worker, he provides for our family. We have not been able to communicate with him. We are very sad and we need him here with us.” Angela and Jesús have three children.

“We call on ICE to return the people they have arrested to their families,” said Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera. “These raids, along with the ICE raids in Racine last month, are part of the Trump Administration’s escalation of their white nationalist-inspired campaign of state terror against immigrant families. Whatever protections there used to be, ICE is ignoring them. ICE is separating breadwinners from their families, they’re taking away caregivers from sick children and parents. ICE and their political enablers are not recognizing the humanity of these families – but we do, and we’re going to fight this. We will put our bodies on the line to make sure ICE does not have free reign to terrorize our communities.

“This is happening 45 days before important elections,” continued Neumann-Ortiz. “We invite voters across Wisconsin to defend immigrant families from politicians who are enabling these escalated attacks. We encourage everyone who has been affected by these raids to call 414-643-1620. At the state level, these raids show why restoring access to driver licenses for immigrant families must be a priority for the legislature in 2019, because ICE is using this as a way to target people for deportation.”

Racine, WI — On Monday, in response to ongoing protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests in Racine, Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling released a disturbing statement defending his office’s collaboration in deportations and the separation of immigrant families through compliance with warrantless ICE detainer requests. In a move recalling some of history’s most appalling episodes, Schmaling posted to Facebook the names and pictures of ten Latino men charged with crimes and whom he said ICE had asked him to hand over for deportation. Racine immigrant community members and supporters have held ongoing protests against ICE’s presence in Racine since ICE detained immigrant activist Ricado Fierro on July 24th, and then detained at least 6 other immigrant community members in the weeks after. In response to Sheriff Schmaling, Voces de la Frontera issued the following statement:

“The Sheriff is stigmatizing and criminalizing our community,” said Tony Ramirez, a Voces de la Frontera member from Racine. “People are frightened right now. I know families who do not want to drive to work because they are afraid they will be stopped and deported. There are rumors almost daily of ICE targeting restaurants and community gathering spots. That’s why we are organizing to say ICE out of Racine. Racine is a tight-knit, loving community. I have lived in other cities, and the neighborly love I feel in Racine is different. Now, seeing ICE come and separate our community, that neighborly love is under attack. Sheriff Schmaling should be protecting our community, but instead he is stigmatizing and criminalizing Latinos.”

“Sheriff Schmaling’s abhorrent statement is right out of Trump’s playbook,” said Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera. “He is using a handful of people accused of crimes to spread racial animus and try to slur an entire community. Immigrant families and supporters are organizing to demand an end to the ICE arrests in Racine, and to demand that Sheriff Schmaling stop aiding Trump’s campaign of terror against immigrant families. Sheriff Schmaling is undermining his mission to promote public safety by helping Trump separate families and creating fear in the community of local law enforcement. Schmaling’s vile statement is part of a white nationalist propaganda campaign to fan the flames of hatred against immigrants and Latinos.”

Milwaukee, WI — On Tuesday, the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office announced in a letter that they will no longer be honoring Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer requests, which the Trump Administration has used to separate hundreds of Milwaukee immigrant families. Instead, Acting Sheriff Richard Schmidt announced that his deputies will now notify ICE even in absence of a judge’s warrant when they are about to release someone ICE has targeted for deportation, giving ICE hours to come and arrest the person for deportation and separation from their family.

Once an inmate has been scheduled for release, and there is no legal basis to hold the person in custody, but the Jail has received a detainer request from ICE, ICE officials will be contacted immediately and the inmate will be processed for release. ICE officials may have an opportunity to pick up that inmate because on average, it takes approximately 2-3 hours to process an inmate for release, depending upon intake and release volumes on a given day.

“This new policy games the system by continuing collaboration with ICE in the separation of families,” said Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera. “This is a concession to our movement’s pressure, but notifying ICE about a person’s release so ICE can arrest them in the lobby or outside will still aid Trump’s campaign of terror against immigrant families. Tens of thousands of Latinx and immigrant families and supporters did not organize two general strikes against 287g, organize against Sheriff Clarke’s use of detainer requests, and work hard for the election of a pro-immigrant Sheriff just for the Sheriff’s Office to create a sham policy. We call on Acting Sheriff Schmidt to amend this policy to not share information with ICE in absence of a judge’s warrant. This is precisely why so many progressives supported Earnell Lucas for Milwaukee County Sheriff because he has committed to not comply with warrantless ICE detainer requests or notification requests.”

Voces de la Frontera members calling on Acting Sheriff Richard Schmidt to withdraw the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office’s application to turn deputies into Immigration agents through the 287g program. Photo: Joe Brusky/MTEA. 11/15/17.

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]]>https://vdlf.org/more-of-the-same-milwaukee-sheriffs-new-ice-collaboration-policy-still-separates-families/feed/0ICE is Threatening to Separate this Wisconsin Domestic Violence Survivor from Her Childrenhttps://vdlf.org/ice-is-threatening-to-separate-this-wisconsin-domestic-violence-survivor-from-her-children/
https://vdlf.org/ice-is-threatening-to-separate-this-wisconsin-domestic-violence-survivor-from-her-children/#respondMon, 23 Jul 2018 20:48:56 +0000http://vdlf.org/?p=6039On Monday, July 9th, Maria Portugal’s lawyer called to tell her that if her estranged husband did not turn himself in to ICE, then ICE would detain her and separate her from her 5 children.

Maria and her husband have been separated for over a year. ICE threatened María despite the fact that she has a three-year-old open application for a U Visa, which is intended to protect victims of crime from deportation after they come forward to work with law enforcement. Maria has lived in Wisconsin for over 20 years and is a domestic violence survivor.

Please take 1 minute to send an email to ICE Regional Director Ricardo Wong and urge him to put an end to ICE’s threats against Maria and her family.

As a mother, Maria fears for her children’s safety. She fears especially for the safety of her youngest, who is only 3 years old.

Maria is a victim of the current administration’s cruel efforts to separate families and communities. Join us in urging ICE Chicago Field Office Director Ricardo Wong to put an end to ICE’s threats against María and her kids and allow her U Visa application to be processed.

ICE Must Stop Threatening to Separate this Wisconsin Domestic Violence Survivor from Her Kids

Milwaukee – On Thursday, hundreds of people marched and blocked streets around a fundraiser Donald Trump held for Wisconsin Republicans in protest of Trump’s plans to intern tens of thousands of immigrant families in border camps. Marchers called for ICE and Customs and Border Patrol to be abolished and replaced by institutions that support and welcome immigrants, and demanded ICE close the case of Franco Ferreyra, a Waukesha father of 4 currently imprisoned by ICE. A dozen community members blocked an interstate off-ramp into downtown, backing up traffic for miles.

“Our movement shut down streets and a major highway today to send a message to Trump and his rich donors,” said Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera. “We will not stand idly by while Trump tries to build modern-day internment camps and wages a campaign of state-sponsored terror against immigrant families, Muslims, and refugee children. We will do everything in our power to block his white nationalist agenda. ICE and CBP must be abolished and replaced with institutions that welcome and integrate immigrants and refugees. We must stop deportations and reunite families like Franco Ferreyra’s that have been separated. Today we showed that Trump’s hate is not welcome in Wisconsin.”

Community members gathered at Zeidler Union Square in Milwaukee before marching toward the Pfister Hotel, where Trump’s private fundraiser was scheduled to begin at 9:30am. When the march arrived at a police line outside the hotel, 12 people moved into the street and blocked traffic, gathering around a banner reading “Families Belong in Communities Not Cages.” The group then moved to other street corners near the fundraiser before settling in front of the I-794 off ramp into downtown. After blocking the interstate for over half an hour, the protesters held a program before marching back to Zeidler Park. From the park, many left for Racine for the continued protests against Trump and Foxconn.

“This is not a normal time,” said Rabbi David Cohen of Congregation Sinai in Milwaukee, who took part in the street blockade. “As a Jew, I can say that our history tells us what happens when we hear leaders saying that they’re closing borders until we figure out whats going on. We have heard this voice before. When we hear children being told to go one way — to take a shower — and their parents to go another way, we have heard those lies before. In 36 places, the Bible underscores the responsibility we have for the stranger, for the people among us who are powerless. It is our job to give them safety.”

“One night when I was 7 years old, we got a phone call that changed my life forever,” said Isabel Martinez, 13, of Manitowoc. “It was my dad saying he was picked up by ICE. It has been almost 6 years since I have felt my dad’s arms around me. The pain that I carry will never go away. So Trump, I say to you, when you enact these disgusting policies, I hope you think of me and the millions of kids like me left to pick up the pieces.”

“ICE needs to return Franco Ferreyra to his kids,” said Lucy Corona, a high school classmate of Franco. “His kids need him. He’s done nothing wrong. Everyone that knows him knows he’s a great guy who does nothing but help everyone around him. We need to keep families together, and Trump needs to know that. Bring Franco home.” An online petition demanding ICE release Franco can be found at vdlf.org/freefranco.

Voces de la Frontera is a membership-based community organization led by low-wage workers, immigrants and students, whose mission is to protect and expand civil rights and workers’ rights through leadership development and community organizing. Voces’ student arm is Youth Empowered in the Struggle (YES). To learn more visit vdlf.org. Follow @voces_milwaukee on Twitter or like us on Facebook.

Milwaukee – On Thursday, June 21st, hundreds of immigrant community members and supporters rallied outside the Milwaukee office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to protest President Trump’s Executive Order from Wednesday ordering the indefinite imprisonment of families in internment camps and to call for the abolition of ICE. Photos of the rally here. Video of the rally here.

“Right now, my family is suffering from the detention of my brother-in-law and nephew as they were coming to the United States,” Ondina Andino, a US Citizen from Honduras whose brother-in-law José Cornejo Lopez and nephew Wueili Josue Cornejo Perez are being held in separate internment camps in Arizona. “They were arrested and separated over a month ago. Now Donald trump is saying he will keep families together, but together in prisons. We need our families to be together here in the United States, so we can have better futures, away from violence. We have the right to immigrate and to seek better futures.”

“When we said keep families together, that did not mean keep families together in modern day internment camps, which is what Trump’s executive order from yesterday does,” said Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera. “We are part of a historic groundswell of opposition that refuses to be silent or go along with a national agenda that dehumanizes and terrorizes immigrant families. Let’s be clear. We must abolish ICE as an institution, and replace it with one that upholds the fundamental right to migrate and helps immigrants and refugees to integrate in healthy, positive ways into our communities.” Neumann-Ortiz also encouraged the public to sign an online petition urging Governor Walker to recall National Guard troops he had sent to border communities to enable Trump separate and imprison families.

Protesters also decried ICE arrests that have separated Wisconsin families, and called for ICE to release Franco Ferreyra, a Waukesha father of 4 who qualifies for DACA and was arrested by ICE on June 11th.

“My children’s father has been detained,” said Alysha Ferreyra, Franco’s ex-wife. “He was following all of ICE’s instructions, but he and his lawyer walked into this ICE office last week and he never walked out. My kids are devastated. Franco is a very loving person, and a loving father. He would do anything for his kids. My kids can’t sleep. They’re just emotionally distraught. It is my children’s right to have their father. It’s not fair, it’s not right, it’s inhumane to take someone away from their family and their children.” Speakers urged the public to sign Voces’ online petition urging Chicago ICE Field Office Director Ricardo Wong to use his discretion to free Franco.

“What this Administration is doing is like what was done in slavery and what was done in the Holocaust,” said Rev. Willie Brisco of WISDOM. “This cannot happen on our watch. When you use the Bible to try to justify imprisoning children, you are demonic. All through the Bible, we are told that we’re supposed to treat the stranger, the immigrant, those who are poor and opporessed, as we would our brothers and sisters. We are never supposed to turn away people who have been oppressed. This is internment, and it is the worst that I have seen in this country. We must stop this President, we must stand up, and be the country we want to be or else we will perish also, because if we don’t do for them, it will be us next.”

“You don’t need me to tell you that separating children from their parents or imprisoning whole families in camps has lasting effects and does irreparable harm,” said Dr. Leslie Davis, a bilingual clinical psychologist who works exclusively with immigrant and refugee community members in Milwaukee. “We know from decades of research and clinical experience, but we also know it in our hearts. Separating children from their parents creates sheer terror for those children. This toxic stress overwhelms a child’s system. A child’s brain development and brain chemistry is permanently altered when there is this sort of disruption. Toxic stress will show up later in increased incidence of psychological, emotional and physical health problems. We cannot permit our government to continue to do this.”

“Being human is not a legal issue,” said Rev. Dr. Matthew L. Sauer, co-pastor of the Manitowoc Cooperative Ministry.“Being human is not something that laws, proclamations, or executive orders get to determine. Being human is not something determined by national boundaries, identification cards, or court rulings. Being human is our divine gift and our divine responsibility. When the tears of the persecuted, abused, and oppressed seek to be dried by the flowing gown of Liberty, we must extend our hands to bring them near. We choose welcome, we choose love, we choose grace, and we demand welcome, we demand love, we demand justice.”

Speakers also encouraged the public to call Congressmen Ryan and Sensenbrenner and Senator Johnson to urge them to reject Republican anti-immigrant legislation before Congress today. Following the speakers’ program, the hundreds gathered performed a Jericho Walk, an interfaith solidarity walk that draws inspiration from the biblical Battle of Jericho, when Joshua’s army marched around the city of Jericho “and the walls came tumbling down.” The protesters circled the city block where ICE’s office is located three times.

Voces de la Frontera is a membership-based community organization led by low-wage workers, immigrants and students, whose mission is to protect and expand civil rights and workers’ rights through leadership development and community organizing. Voces’ student arm is Youth Empowered in the Struggle (YES). To learn more visit vdlf.org. Follow @voces_milwaukee on Twitter or like us on Facebook.

]]>https://vdlf.org/wisconsin-rallies-to-stop-the-indefinite-imprisonment-of-families-abolish-ice/feed/0Wisconsin Rallies Against Trump’s Order to Indefinitely Imprison Families in Internment Campshttps://vdlf.org/wisconsin-rallies-against-trumps-order-to-indefinitely-imprison-families-in-internment-camps/
https://vdlf.org/wisconsin-rallies-against-trumps-order-to-indefinitely-imprison-families-in-internment-camps/#respondWed, 20 Jun 2018 20:30:57 +0000http://vdlf.org/?p=6013Families seeking safety in the United States must be protected and supported, not separated or imprisoned.

“My family and so many others fleeing violence need protection,” said Ondina Andino, a US Citizen from Guatemala whose brother-in-law José Cornejo-Lopez and nephew Wueili Josue Cornejo Perez are being held in separate internment camps in Arizona, after having been separated over one month ago. “My brother-in-law has not been able to talk to his son. They are being mistreated in the centers and are not given regular meals or allowed to communicate with their family. They are fleeing escalated violence, and are only seeking to reunite with their family in this country and find security. They belong with us, where they can get the support they need, not in a cage.”

“The President’s order to indefinitely imprison whole families is just as immoral as his policy to rip children from their parents’ arms,” said Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera. “Images of these internment camps for children, which would now be internment camps for whole families, recall the most abhorrent episodes of our country’s history. Families seeking safety in the United States must be protected and supported, not separated or imprisoned. Besides Trump’s executive order, Republican leaders in Congress including Senator Johnson, Speaker Ryan, and Congressman Sensenbrenner are pushing anti-immigrant legislation that reflects the agenda of the white nationalist wing of the Republican Party. We urge people to call their Congresspeople and Senator Johnson and urge them to oppose these Republican bills. Additionally, we urge people to join us by signing our online petition to demand Governor Walker recall the National Guard troops back to Wisconsin.”

A 2-year-old girl cries as her mother is arrested by Border Patrol, 6/12/18. John Moore/Getty Images

On Monday, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker sent National Guard troops to the US-Mexico border to help implement President Trump’s “zero tolerance” anti-immigrant policy, first by separating and now by imprisoning immigrant families in internment camps. Scroll down to sign the petition, send an email to Governor Walker, and then call him at 608-266-1212 to demand he reverse his cruel decision!

Since Governor Walker sent the National Guard troops, 9 other governors including some Republicans have cancelled their decisions to do the same because of Trump’s policy of separating children from their parents. Voces de la Frontera and the New Sanctuary Movement of Milwaukee will hold an interfaith rally at 9am on Thursday, June 21st, at the Milwaukee ICE office (310 E. Knapp St.) in protest of Trump’s efforts to separate and imprison immigrant families at the border and in Wisconsin. Sign the petition and join us Thursday!

Governor Walker: Don't send the National Guard to help Trump imprison families in internment camps!